Research Infosource ranks Ontario Tech No. 1 undergraduate research university for third year

Research Infosource named Ontario Tech University the top undergraduate research university in Canada for the third consecutive year on Dec. 4, and placed the Oshawa school at No. 34 on its Top 50 Research Universities list, a 10-spot rise since 2019.

The rankings are national in scope and include a category for undergraduate universities. Ontario Tech is located in Oshawa.

Ontario Tech also released figures from its analysis of Leiden-based measures of scholarly output and research intensity.

According to the university’s analysis of Leiden-based rankings, Ontario Tech ranked 32nd in Canada for the number of scholarly publications and 18th for research intensity. The university reported 107 per cent growth in publications when comparing 2010–2013 with 2020–2023, which it said was the highest increase among the institutions it analyzed.

In its summary, the university defines scholarly output as published academic research such as journal articles and conference papers, and research intensity as the amount of research produced relative to institutional size.

Ontario Tech lists research activity in nuclear, hydrogen, battery storage, electrification, wind, solar and geothermal technologies, supported by initiatives including the Brilliant Energy Institute and the proposed Subcritical Assembly.

The university says it hosts Canada’s first International Atomic Energy Agency Collaborating Centre focused on small modular reactors. Researchers are also studying “nano reactors,” which the university describes as small, portable nuclear reactors.

Ontario Tech reported graduate-studies growth over five years: overall graduate enrolment increased 47 per cent, from 947 to 1,393 students; full-time graduate enrolment rose 69 per cent, from 680 to 1,151. According to the university, international students now account for 45 per cent of graduate learners.